You Said It: ‘It Was a Symbolic Gesture to Myself’ and More Quotables

This week on Houzz, there was a strong theme of inventiveness, of people whose personal passions guided them in designing their homes and their lifestyles. This has resulted in some delightfully unusual homes. We peeked into a Rolling Stone’s former art studio and stepped inside a very wee home in Scotland. We admired the shimmer of junked car parts repurposed as siding in California and climbed a book tower in London. We hopped aboard a tricked-out Airstream that’s become a permanent home and saw how a creative couple in Ireland made comic book art sexy. Here are some of this week’s highlights.

“It was a symbolic gesture to myself that I still had the capacity to take on a wild idea and bring it to life.” — Airstream owner Jordan Menzel

Menzel is talking about renovating and moving into a 1976 Airstream trailer. Now he’s living large in a tiny space that’s sleek and comfortable and suits his lifestyle. His creative choices are inspiring, and his space-saving ideas are applicable to any-size home. Most of all, I was inspired by his sentiment of letting a wild idea take him on a great ride.

Full story: My Houzz: New Life and Style for a 1976 Airstream


“The kitchen desk area is a good example of the family’s affinity for decor which, Jose says, is ‘the intersection of function and art.’” — Kimberly Bryan

Sometimes when I’m scrolling through a featured ideabook, a photograph stops me dead in my tracks, like this one. I was already enchanted by how well this family had arranged their midcentury California gem, with such a beautiful balance of color, iconic furniture, wallpaper and art that celebrated the architecture. Then I came across this duck, which looked like it was staring at me, complete with a graffitied urban backdrop. I stopped scrolling and stared back with a smile on my face. This tour was a real treat.

Full story: My Houzz: Cool, Creative Midcentury Style


“I said I’d never do it again, but looking back it was like a party … I’d just get into Zen mode and take it at my own pace.” — homeowner Karl Wanaselja

Wanaselja, an architect, is referring to the countless hours he spent scouring car junkyards for silver and gray car roofs and Dodge minivan windows. These are the materials he and his wife, Cate, used for the siding and awnings of their unique Berkeley, California, home. They mixed in bark and reclaimed wood for good measure.

Full story: Houzz Tour: Meet a Home Made With Minivan Parts


“But rather than squirrel their books away, the family opted to make the bookcase the main feature of their home.” — Natalie Wain

Reading this ideabook made me realize that some of my favorite homes on Houzz were designed around books and reading, from a traditional Cape Cod–style home in Vermont to a bungalow in Montana; from a renovated Tudor-style home in Seattle to this contemporary book tower in a London flat. When I read the novel Super Sad True Love Story, I got the most depressed about the fact that books had become rare relics of the past in the novel. Bravo, bibliophiles!

Full story: Houzz Tour: A London Book Tower House Worth a Browse


“The mightiest of large shade trees and conifers take decades — or a whole lifetime — to grow to maturity. Healthy, mature trees make your landscape feel lush and alive. I recommend protecting as many as you can.” — Falon Mihalic

Mihalic presents all the important considerations that should go into siting a home from the perspective of a landscape architect. Someone with a degree in landscape architecture is hands down the person with the best training for this task (and yes, I am biased, but I stand by it). Mihalic walks us through the basics — what we need to know about setbacks, slopes, water bodies and flood plains, microclimates, soil and terrain and existing trees, and how these factors should influence home siting decisions.

Full story: Finding the Perfect Home for a New House


“And when you are able to find plants with local or regional genetic origins, you’ll be going a step further — that plant will be well adapted to your locale.” — Benjamin Vogt

I think Vogt and I agree — neither one of us thinks it’s possible to encourage the use of native plants too many times. It’s too important. Not only will they make your garden thrive, but they will make it easier to manage and are often better for wildlife. The best part is that native plants will lend your garden a pleasing feeling — one that nature intended.

Full story: How to Design a Garden That Lasts


“A piece that looks perfect in a showroom with 20-foot ceilings may not look the same under your 8-foot ceiling at home. Before you buy, mark out the piece’s dimensions on the floor with newspaper or painter’s tape, or build an approximation from cardboard boxes.” — Fred Albert

My parents learned this the hard way with a TV. Next to the mega man-cave models in the showroom, it seemed like a modest size; I should know because I helped them decide which one to get (oops!). When we got it home, it fit into the family room about as well as a Lincoln Continental would have.

When investing in furniture, prevent problems of scale with Albert’s tip. The rest of the advice he offers is equally helpful — where to spend, where to splurge, how to test out used furniture to make sure it will hold up, what to keep, what to freshen up, what to toss and more. I am loving this series.

Full story: Decorating 101: How to Shop for Furniture


“With their unstudied, off-center placement, these birds appear to have just flown in.” — Catherine Funkhouser

When penny-pinching, I always wince at potentially cutting my $12-per-week flower budget — having a centerpiece just makes me happy. However, Funkhouser may save me some bucks. I certainly have a bunch of interesting objects I can test out around the house. Browsing her suggestions of birds, a log, rope knots, teapots, gourds and more opened my mind to the possibilities. Give it a read and see how it inspires you. I’d love to see what you come up with!

Full story: Eye-Catching Centerpieces Beyond Flowers and Fruit


“The bottom line: Use every tool available to find out what homes are selling for in the neighborhood where you’d like to live.” — Christine Tusher

Do you wish the asking price was just the price, or do you love the thrill of negotiating? Either way, this ideabook will help you make the best offer on the home you want. These days there is too much information about how much a home should go for — it’s very confusing. Tusher helps us figure out how to do the right research, consider the fluctuating market, look for special features that can affect the price and find someone whose opinions to trust. Then she shares how to weigh and use that information. If you ever plan to buy a home, bookmark this ideabook now.

Full story: How to Avoid Paying Too Much for a House


“Here Gizmo poses on a mustache rug.” — Joanna Simmons

A gratuitous cute dog shot, coming to us all the way from Dublin, Ireland. Seriously, though, this is another tour you should not miss — this couple has managed to make geek incredibly chic.

Full story: Houzz Tour: Comic Book Prints and Vintage Decor Punch Up a Dublin Home

Did something you read on Houzz this week resonate with you? Please share it in the Comments section, and have a great weekend, everyone!

URL: You Said It: ‘It Was a Symbolic Gesture to Myself’ and More Quotables http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-24310.html